Acoustical ceiling



April 14, 1970 w. w. THOMPSON ACOUSTICAL CEILING 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledFeb. 12, 196E FIG.|

0 28 .m 2322 0 6 8 4 6 O 2 8/ 3 2 5G 3 |l O 4E| 4 m m a 2 F .l /h 6 B 704 0 2 42 1. 9 8 2 a a 4 6 FIG-4 INV ENT OR WALTER W. THOMPSON April1970 w. w.- THOMPSON 3,505,771

ACOUSTICAL CEILING 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12. 1968 '[HH- 4 4 f 2 P..T 4 f 1 O l 4 MW r U L l I] 6 mo 5 4 O H2 6 Q 6 m 2 2 w m m w 6 lINVENTOR WALTER W. THOMPSON BY Mia/Mu with @1 ATTORNEYS April 14, 1970w. w. THOMPSON ACOUSTICAL CEILING 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 12 1968FIG.9

FIGII INVENTOR WALTER W. THOMPSON ATTORNEYS United States Patent O M3,505,771 ACOUSTICAL CEILING Walter W. Thompson, P.0. Box 627,Hazlehurst, Ga. 31539 Filed Feb. 12, 1968, Ser. No. 704,890 Int. Cl.E04b /52 US. Cl. 52495 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Theacoustical ceiling system is made up essentially of rows of acousticalpanels and light fixtures. Alternate rows have acoustical panelssupported on longitudinal bars extending along the sides thereof. Theremaining rows consist alternately of acoustical panels and lightingfixtures. The lighting fixtures are supported by the longitudinal bars.The acoustical panels between the lighting fixtures in one embodiment ofthe invention are supported entirely by transverse bars extendingbetween the longitudinal bars, and in another embodiment are supportedin part by the transverse bars and in part by straps or spring clipsextending over the longitudinal bars.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of this invention toprovide an improved ceiling system composed of both acoustical panelsand lighting fixtures.

Another object of this invention is to provide an acoustical ceilingsystem wherein the alternate rows of acoustical panels are supportedfrom longitudinal bars extending along the sides thereof, and transversebars connected to the longitudinal bars provide all or part of thesupport for the acoustical panels in the remaining rows.

Another object is to provide an acoustical ceiling system whereinlighting fixtures are provided in the remaining rows.

Another object is to provide an acoustical ceiling system wherein eachof the remaining rows consists alternately of lighting fixtures andacoustical panels.

Another object is to provide adjustable means for supporting thelighting fixtures directly from the longitudinal bars.

Another object is to provide an acoustical system wherein the acousticalpanels are supported independently of the lighting fixtures.

Another object is to provide an improved connection between thetransverse bars and the longitudinal bars so that the transverse barsmay be twisted to facilitate the removal of the acoustical panels.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an acoustical ceiling system seen from belowand constructed in accordance with my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5A is a fragmentary perspective view of a longitudinal bar and atransverse bar prior to assembly.

FIGURE 6 is similar to FIGURE 5 but shows a modification.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 in FIGURE 6.

3,505,771 Patented Apr. 14, 1970 FIGURE 8 is like FIGURE 7 but shows afurther modification.

FIGURE 9 is like FIGURE 4 but shows still another modification.

FIGURE 10 is a sectional view taken on the line 1010 in FIGURE 9 FIGURE11 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 showing a further modification.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and especially toFIGURES 1 to 5A, the ceiling structure is generally indicated by thereference numeral 10 and is composed of individual separable rectan ularpanels 12 and 14, and lighting fixtures 16. The panels 12 are arrangedin alternate rows A, and the panels 14 and lighting fixtures 16 arearranged in the remaining rows B. The bottom surfaces of all of thepanels and lighting fixtures are in a common horizontal plane.

The panels 12 are identical to one another and in the form shown eachmay have a sheet metal front facing 18 and a sheet metal rear facing 20which is parallel to and spaced above the front facing. The front facingmay, if desired, be and preferably is perforated. While the interior ofthe panel may vary, a honeycomb structure 22 is shown sandwiched betweenthe facings. The honeycomb may be formed of a cardboard material andtogether with the facings 18 and 20 provides a strong composite panelstructure which resists bending or twisting. A heat insulation and soundabsorbing material 24 which may be formed of glass, wool or wood fibers,may fill the cells of the honeycomb 22.

The sides of the front facing 18 are turned upwardly to provide sidewalls 26. The side walls 26 are disposed at right angles to the frontfacing and terminate in outwardly extending and return-bent flanges 28.The sides of the rear facing 20 are turned downwardly to provide sidewalls 30. The side walls 30 extend at right angles to the rear facingand are respectively disposed in the same plane as the side walls 26.The side walls 30 terminate in horizontally outwardly extending flanges32 which are clamped within the return-bent flanges 28 to seal the sidemargins of the panel and to provide a reinforced flange designated 34(consisting of the flanges 28 and 32) about midway between the front andrear facings.

The ends of the panels 12 are clearly shown in FIG- URE 4. As thereseen, the rear facing 20 has its ends turned downwardly at a right angleto provide end walls 34 and 35 extending to the front facing of thepanel. The end wall 34 and the front facing are seen to have endextensions in surface-to-surface relation which extend substantially inthe plane of the front facing and then turn up forming a flange 36parallel to end wall 34. One of the extensions maybe return-bent overthe other at the upper edge of flange 36. The end wall 35 and the frontfacing have extensions in surface-to-surface relation which extendsubstantially in the plane of the front facing and then extend in theshape of an inverted U to form a hook 37. One of the extensions formingthe hook may be returnbent over the other at the extremity of the hook37. The panels 12 are oriented the same way so that when installed inthe rows A the hooks 37 of each panel extend over and hook onto theflanges 36 of the adjacent panel.

The panels 14 are identical to one another and each may have a sheetmetal front facing 40 and a sheet metal rear facing 42 which is parallelto and spaced above the front facing. The front facing may be andpreferably is perforated. A honeycomb structure 43 may be sandwichedbetween the facings. The honeycomb structure may be formed of the samematerial as that employed in panels 112, and the cells thereof arepreferably filled with a heat insulating and sound absorbing material 44like that employed in the panels 12.

The rear facing 42 has its side edges turned downwardly at a right angleto provide side walls 46 which extend to the front panel 40. The frontpanel 40 and side walls 46 have extensions 48 disposed insurface-to-surface relation which project laterally outwardlysubstantially in the plane of the front facing and then turn up at aright angle to provide flange 50. One of the extensions may bereturn-bent over the other at the upper edge of the flange 50. The endconstruction of panels 14 is similar to the side construction of panels12. Thus the front facing 40 has its end edges turned upwardly at aright angle to provide end walls 52, and the rear facing 42 has its endedges turned downwardly at a right angle to provide end walls 54. Theend walls 52 and 54 are disposed respectively in the same planes, andthese end walls terminate about midway of the thickness of the panelsand have extensions turned horizontally outward in surface-to-surfacerelation providing flanges 56 and 58, the flange 58 being returnbentover the flange 56 to provide a rigid sealed flange 60 composed of theindividual flange elements 56 and 58.

The lighting fixtures 16 contain suitable lighting devices within houses64 and across their bottom faces are closed by a transparent ortranslucent panel 66 having upturned flanges 68 along its four sides.The panel 66 is of course rectangular. Suitable brackets 70 are providedon each housing 64 which are shown in FIGURE 3 in their extendedpositions but which are adjustable and may be withdrawn inwardly withrespect to the housing. For example, the brackets 70 may be hinged onpins 71 so that they may be swung inwardly flat against the wall of thehousing or outward as shown to an extended operative position. Anysuitable adjustable mounting for such brackets 70 may be employed.

The acoustical ceiling system includes a plurality of horizontallaterally spaced, parallel, elongated longitudinally extending bars 80.The longitudinal bars 80 are of identical construction. As shown inFIGURES 2 and 3, the elongated bars 80, while equally spaced, arearranged in pairs with the bars of each pair having their lowerhorizontal flanges 82 turned toward one another.

Each bar 80 is of the cross section shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, having aflat vertical main section 84 provided with an open return-bent bead orflange 86 along its upper edge. The flange 82 extends laterally at rightangles to the main section 84 of the bar and is return-bent upon itselfas shown in order to strengthen the same. The bars 80 are suspended froma permanent overhead ceiling structure by means of hangers 88 in theform of cords or wires which are looped through holes 90 in the bars.The bars 80 are thus supported at suitable intervals along their lengthby the hangers 88 in parallel relation to one another so that theirflanges 82 occupy the same horizontal plane.

The spacing between adjacent longitudinal bars 80 may, if desired, bemaintained by suitable cross members 92. These cross members may be of Vshape as shown, having notches 94 on their undersides into which thebeads 86 along the upper edges of the bars 80 fit. The cross members 92may merely rest upon adjacent bars in the manner shown to maintain aproper spacing therebetween.

The panels 12 in the rows A are supported from the bars 80 along the twosides thereof by having their side flanges 34 rest upon the flanges 82of the bars 80. One end of each panel 12 in the row has its hook 37engaged over the flange 36 on the end of the adjacent panel.

In the rows B, the lighting fixtures are supported by their brackets 70extending over and resting upon the beads 86 of the longitudinal bars80. The panels 14 between lighting fixtures 64 are supported bytransverse bars 100. The cross section of the transverse bars 100 issubstantially the same as the longitudinal bars, having a main flatvertical section 102 with an open return-bent flange or head 104 alongthe upper edge and a lower lateral right angle flange 106 return-bentupon itself. These transverse bars 100 are disposed at longitudinallyspaced intervals in the rows B and extend at right angles to thelongitudinal bars 80. The end flanges 34 of the panels 14 rest and aresupported upon the flanges 106 of the transverse bars. It will be notedthat the transverse bars 100 are arranged in pairs so that the flanges106 of each pair of transverse bars extend toward one another in orderto support a panel. 14.

The connection between the transverse bars 100 and longitudinal bars 80is clearly shown in FIGURES 2, 5 and 5A. As there shown, the ends of thetransverse bars have extensions or tabs 110 disposed in the plane of theflat vertical section 102 and provided with notches 112 along the bottomedges thereof. These extensions are formed to fit within special slots114 provided in the longitudinal bars 80. Each slot 114 has an upperportion provided with an upright wall 116 on one side and an upwardlyflaring wall 118 on the opposite side, and a lower portion. providedwith an upright wall 120 on the side corresponding to the flaring wall118 and a downwardly flaring wall 122 on the opposite side. The flaringwalls 118 and 122 are substantially parallel. The bottom portion of theslot is closed by a horizontal wall 124 connected to the wall 120 by anotch 126. When a transverse bar 100 is supported in vertical, uprightor operative position, its tabs 110 project into aligned slots 114 inadjacent longitudinal bars 80 with one side of the main vertical section102 thereof against the upright wall 116 and the opposite side thereofagainst the upright wall 120. At this time the notches 112 of the tabsengage in the notches 126 of the slots to thereby lock the transversebars in vertically upright position.

It will be noted in FIGURE 5 that the slots 114 are alternately slantedone way and the other, or may be considered to be arranged in pairscorresponding to the pairs of transverse bars. The oppositely slantingslots 114 are mirror images of one another.

The system thus described requires that one or more of the panels 12 beremoved first before the lighting fixtures 16 can be removed or beforethe panels 14 can be removed. A panel 12 is removed from the system byelevating the end 35 having the hook 37, then tilting and twisting thepanel to disengage the side flanges 34 of the panel from the supportingflanges 82 of the longitudinal bars 80, andthen lowering the panel 12from the ceiling system. Thereafter a lighting fixture 16 can be removedby reaching into the space left vacant by the panel 12 to withdraw orretract the brackets from supporting engagement on the longitudinal barsand lowering the lighting fixture 16 from the ceiling system. Then theadjacent panel or panels 14 may be removed by lifting one or both of thetransverse bars supporting each panel 14 to be removed to disengagetheir tabs from the notches 126 of the slots and partially rotating thetransverse bars 100 to withdraw the flanges 106 of the transverse barsfrom supporting relation to the end flanges 34 of the panels 14 so thatthe panels may be lowered from the ceiling system. The tabs of thetransverse bars 100 are not removed from slots 114 by this rotation, butare merely turned into contact with slot walls 118 and 120.

FIGURES 6 and 7 show a modification of the invention wherein, the panels14 are replaced by panels 14:; which diifer from the panels 14 in thatone end only of the panel 14a has the end flange construction 60. Theother end of the panel 14a has merely a flush construc tion in which thefront and rear facings are turned at right angles toward one another insubstantially the same plane and overlapped to provide the substantiallyflush condition shown at in FIGURE 6. The end of each panel 14a whichhas the flush construction is supported in the system by straps orhangers 200. A snap fastener or button 202 extends through a hole in thelower end of the strap or hanger 200 and through a hole in the side ofthe panel 14ato provide a releasable connection between the panel andthe strap. The fastener may have an enlarged head as shown engaging thesurface of the strap, and legs extending through the opening in thestrap and through an opening in the side of the panel. Any suitable typefastener may be employed but preferably one of the type shown anddescribed in my co-pending application Ser. No. 471,263 filed July 12,1965, now Patent No. 3,400,506 in which the' legs are flexible andenlarged on their terminal ends so as to releasably be retained in thepanel. The upper end of the strap is return-bent in an open U-shape asshown at 205 to engage over the bead 86 along the upper edge of one ofthe longitudinal bars 80. It will be understood that the opposite sideof the panel 140 is similarly supported by a strap 200 buttoned orfastened to the side wall of the panel.

' The opposite end of the panel 14a is supported exactly the same as inthe embodiment shown in FIGURES l-5, that is with its end flange 60resting upon the flange 106 at the lower end of the transverse bar 100.

It will be apparent that these straps 200 can be reached when one ormore of the panels 12 have been removed and hence the panels 14a can beremoved from the system without requiring that a light fixture 16 beremoved. The straps 200 are of course flexible so that they can beengaged over or released from the beads 86.

FIGURE 8 discloses a further modification in which the up er end of thestrap 200a is formed with a right angle part 210 and an upwardlyextending inclined or cam part 212. It will be understood that the otherstrap employed in the FIGURE 8 construction for the support of theopposite side of the panel 14w will be of the same construction as thestrap 200a. The straps 200a will be of a flexible resilient material sothat the panel 14w may be installed by being moved upwardly into theceiling assembly and causing the cam parts 212 to deflect the strapsinward as they move upwardly past the beads 86 after which the strapswill snap outward to the supporting position shown in FIGURE 8 in whichthe right angle part 210 engages and is supported upon the bead 86. Toremove the panel in FIGURE 8, a panel or panels 12 will first beremoved, whereupon straps 2001: can be reached and removed by flexingfrom engagement with beads 86 without the need to remove a lightingfixture.

In neither the FIGURE 7 nor the FIGURE 8 embodiment is it necessary totilt a transverse bar 100 to remove the panel 14a. Therefore, thespecial slots 114 are not needed for these embodiments, although theymay be employed. Any other suitable connection between the transversebars and longitudinal bars may be used.

FIGURES 9 and 10 show a modification of the invention shown in FIGURES1-5 in which the V-shaped spacers 92 are replaced by transverse members300 spaced apart at 6' intervals, for example. Each transverse member300 has a main flat vertical section 302 with an open return-bent flangeor bead 304 along the upper edge and a right angle strengthening flange306 along the lower edge. The connection between the transverse members300 and the longitudinal bars 80 is clearly shown in FIGURES 9 and 10.The ends of each transverse member 300 have extensions or tabs 310disposed in the plane of the flat vertical section 302 and provided withnotches 312 along the upper and lower edges. These extensions or tabsare identical and are formed to fit within special slots 314 provided inthe longitudinal bars 80. One of the transverse bars 300 is omitted sothat the slot outline may be seen more clearly. The slots are identicaland each has an upper portion provided with an upright wall 316 on oneside and an upwardly flaring wall 318 on the opposite side, and a lowerportion provided with an upright wall 320 on the side corresponding tothe flaring wall 318 and a downwardly flaring wall 322 on the oppositeside. The flaring walls 318 and 322 are substantially parallel. Thebottom portion of the slot is closed by a horizontal wall 324 connectedto the wall 322 by a notch 326. The top portion of the slot is closed bya horizontal wall 328 connected to the wall 318 by a notch 330.

When a transverse member 300 is supported in up right or operativeposition, its tabs 310 project into aligned slots 314 in adjacentlongitudinal bars with one side of the main vertical section 302 thereofagainst the upright wall 316 and the opposite side thereof against theupright wall 320. At this time the notches 312 of the tabs engage thetop and bottom horizontal walls 324 and 328 of the slots to thereby lockthe transverse members against pulling out. To remove the transversemembers 300, they are rotated to an angular position engaging theflaring walls 318 and 322 and notches 326 and 330 and then withdrawn.

FIGURE 11 shows a modification of the invention in FIGURE 6 in which thepanels 14b replace the panels 14a and are like the panels 14a exceptthat both ends are of the flush construction shown in FIGURE 6. Also,both ends of the panels 14b are suspended from the longitudinal bar 80by the two resilient straps 200a shown in FIGURE 8. Two straps 200aopposite the two shown also support the opposite side of the panelsadjacent the ends from the other longitudinal bar 80. The straps 200aare buttoned to the sides of the panels in the same manner as in FIGURE8, but by two fasteners 202 instead of one. It will be understood thatthe other form of straps shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 at 200 may be employedin place of straps 202. In this embodiment of the invention, since bothends of the panels 14b are suspended by straps directly from thelongitudinal bars 80, the transverse bars are not required. However, theV-type spacers 92 are provided both in rows A and rows B to maintain apredetermined spacing between the longitudinal bars 80. It will beunderstood of course that the transverse members 300 may be employed inplace of the V-shaped spacers 92.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An acoustical ceiling system comprising a plurality of laterallyspaced, parallel, longitudinal bars, acoustical panels in alternatespaces between bars, said bars having flanges engaging the oppositesides of said panels to provide the sole support therefor, acousticalpanels in the remaining spaces between bars, and a plurality of 1011-gitudinally spaced, transverse bars in said remaining spaces havingflanges engaging the opposite ends of said second-mentioned panels toprovide the sole support therefor.

2. The acoustical ceiling system defined in claim 1, wherein saidtransverse bars are arranged in pairs with the flanges of each pairextending toward one another, one of said second-mentioned panels beingdisposed between each pair of transverse bars, said second-mentionedpanels having end flanges respectively supported upon the flanges ofsaid transverse bars.

3. The system defined in claim 2, wherein lighting fixtures supported bysaid longitudinal bars are provided between said second-mentionedacoustical panels in each of said remaining rows.

4. The acoustical ceiling system defined in claim 3, wherein saidtransverse bars have end tabs engaging in slots in said longitudinalbars, each slot having an upper portion provided with an upright wall onone side and an upwardly flaring wall on the opposite side and alsohaving a lower portion provided with an upright wall on said oppositeside and a downwardly flaring wall on said one side, said upright wallslocating said transverse bars in upright position, each slot having alocking recess at the bottom in which a hook portion of the tab of theassociated transverse bar is engageable to lock the same in uprightposition, said flaring walls permitting said transverse bars to bepartially rotated from upright position when said tabs are raised torelease said hook portions from said locking recesses and therebywithdrawn from supporting relation to said second-mentioned panels sothat the latter may be removed from the system.

5'. An acoustical ceiling system comprising a plurality of laterallyspaced, parallel, longitudinal bars, acoustical panels in alternatespaces between bars, said bars having flanges engaging the oppositesides of said panels to provide the sole support therefor, acousticalpanels in the remaining spaces between bars, and a plurality of supportmembers supported by said longitudinal bars in said remaining spaces andengaging said second-mentioned panels adjacent the ends thereof toprovide the sole support therefor, said support members including hangerstraps, said hanger straps being flexibly resilient and each having acatch portion and an inclined camming portion extending upwardlytherefrom to snap over and engage the upper edge of a longitudinal barupon upward movement of said second-mentioned panels into assembly inthe ceiling system.

6. An acoustical ceiling system comprising a plurality of laterallyspaced parallel, longitudinal bars, acoustical panels in alternatespaces between bars, said bars having flanges engaging the oppositesides of said panels to provide the sole support therefor, acousticalpanels in the remaining spaces between bars, a plurality oflongitudinally spaced hanger straps suspended from said longitudinalbars in said remaining spaces and having means engaging saidsecond-mentioned panels adjacent one end thereof, and a plurality oflongitudinally spaced, transverse bars in said remaining spaces havingflanges engaging the opposite ends of said second-mentioned panels, saidhanger straps and transverse bars together providing the sole supportfor said second-mentioned panels.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,071,865 2/1937 Parsons 524882,882,558 4/1959 Jacobson 52488 2,894,291 7/1959 Sorenson 52488 X3,087,205 4/ 1963 Mancini 52475 3,164,230 1/1965 Adams 52498 X 1,997,5964/1935 Paley 52145 2,334,484 11/1943 Dunbar. 2,946,414 7/1960 Gordon52495 X 2,994,113 8/1961 Dail 52497 X 3,153,304 10/1964 Evangelista52496 X 3,155,324 11/1964 Chen 240-9 3,163,961 1/1965 Kemp 52485 X3,327,444 6/1967 Downing 52496 FOREIGN PATENTS 597,413 1948 GreatBritain. 355,276 1961 Switzerland.

JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 5228, 484, 497

